A few years after moving to California, we shot a video of our house and family at Christmastime for our friends back in Maryland.

One stop on the tour was the Men's Crisis Center, the shed in the back yard where a new dad could get in some afterhours cranking on an old bike set up on a trainer.

I was returning to the shed with the camera running when I realized I had left my inquisitive son in there alone. He had totally greased his hands on the oily bike chain. It was too funny to get angry.

I had totally forgotten about this until I ran across the other day. Now, it seems like it happened yesterday.

In a recent article, the LA Times examines four brands -- Accelerade, Isopure, Kellogg's Special K 2 O, and Stacker 2 Protein Water.

Nancy Clark, the sports nutrionist, says it's easy to add extra protein to your diet, even for endurance athletes and body builders, without resorting to buying water with protein added ...]]> I've noticed some heavy print and online advertising -- including at this blog -- for protein waters. They're generally touted for body builders who want to bulk up and endurance athletes like bicyclists who want to shorten recovery time.

In a recent article, the LA Times examines four brands -- Accelerade, Isopure, Kellogg's Special K 2 O, and Stacker 2 Protein Water.

Nancy Clark, the sports nutrionist, says it's easy to add extra protein to your diet, even for endurance athletes and body builders, without resorting to buying water with protein added ...]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/protein-waters-explained-and-compared/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/bicycle-commute-benefits-axed-from-landmark-energy-bill/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/bicycle-commute-benefits-axed-from-landmark-energy-bill/#comments Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:10:00 +0000 admin Uncategorized Bicycle Touring http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/23/3424332.html That much ballyhooed "landmark energy bill" that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush last week didn't include a component that was in earlier versions -- the bicycle commuter tax break.

Sorry bike commuters. A lump of coal in your stocking again this year.

The fringe benefit that would have enabled employers to give you a $20/month stipend for riding your bicycles to work was deflated by Senate Republicans. They threatened to filibuster at the last minute if the renewable energy and energy efficiency tax package made it into HR 6, the final energy bill.

That energy tax package included provisions that would have benefited bicycle commuters and wind and solar power producers. It also would have closed the so-called Hummer tax break loophole and reduced tax breaks for oil and gas companies. Small wonder it didn't make it ...]]> That much ballyhooed "landmark energy bill" that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush last week didn't include a component that was in earlier versions -- the bicycle commuter tax break.

Sorry bike commuters. A lump of coal in your stocking again this year.

The fringe benefit that would have enabled employers to give you a $20/month stipend for riding your bicycles to work was deflated by Senate Republicans. They threatened to filibuster at the last minute if the renewable energy and energy efficiency tax package made it into HR 6, the final energy bill.

That energy tax package included provisions that would have benefited bicycle commuters and wind and solar power producers. It also would have closed the so-called Hummer tax break loophole and reduced tax breaks for oil and gas companies. Small wonder it didn't make it ...]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/bicycle-commute-benefits-axed-from-landmark-energy-bill/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/armstrong-movie-still-on-front-burner/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/armstrong-movie-still-on-front-burner/#comments Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:45:00 +0000 admin Uncategorized Bicycle Touring http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/23/3426571.html Film producer Frank Marshall says the Lance Armstrong biopic is still on the front burner and might proceed as early as next summer.

Marshall, who has produced and or directed such blockbusters as the Indiana Jones and Bourne series of movies, is currently working on sequels to Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park, among some other projects.

He said there's no truth to rumors that the Armstrong film is on hold because of all the doping controversy in cycling ......]]> Film producer Frank Marshall says the Lance Armstrong biopic is still on the front burner and might proceed as early as next summer.

Marshall, who has produced and or directed such blockbusters as the Indiana Jones and Bourne series of movies, is currently working on sequels to Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park, among some other projects.

He said there's no truth to rumors that the Armstrong film is on hold because of all the doping controversy in cycling ......]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/armstrong-movie-still-on-front-burner/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/lance-armstrong-joins-another-tour/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/lance-armstrong-joins-another-tour/#comments Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:00:00 +0000 admin Uncategorized Bicycle Touring http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/22/3424287.html The latest tour for Lance Armstrong is a USO tour of US military bases in seven countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.

Armstrong is joined on the Road to Kabul by biking buddy Robin Williams, comedian Lewis Black, Kid Rock, Miss USA Rachel Smith, and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan.

They're all on a non-stop six-day 14-show tour that started in the heat of the desert but soon was flying into swirling snow in Afghanistan. Armstrong is posting blog entries from the trip at the Lance Armstrong Foundation website. On landing in Kabul...]]> The latest tour for Lance Armstrong is a USO tour of US military bases in seven countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.

Armstrong is joined on the Road to Kabul by biking buddy Robin Williams, comedian Lewis Black, Kid Rock, Miss USA Rachel Smith, and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan.

They're all on a non-stop six-day 14-show tour that started in the heat of the desert but soon was flying into swirling snow in Afghanistan. Armstrong is posting blog entries from the trip at the Lance Armstrong Foundation website. On landing in Kabul...]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/lance-armstrong-joins-another-tour/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/plenty-of-cool-bicycle-wall-calendars-for-2008/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/plenty-of-cool-bicycle-wall-calendars-for-2008/#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:57:00 +0000 admin Uncategorized Bicycle Touring http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/21/3422631.html Be aware that you're going to have a big ol' bare spot on your wall in a couple of weeks if you haven't bought a bicycling calendar to replace that 2007 model.

There are lots of bicycle calendars to choose from online. Some feature scenic road and mountain biking locales, while others feature professional and recreational women cyclists from around the world and across the Northwest.

As usual, the Cyclepassion 2008 wall calendar is undoubtedly the hottest one out there this year. Instead of relying on professional models, it features pro women cyclists. That's Norwegian mountain biker Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesja on the cover ....]]> Be aware that you're going to have a big ol' bare spot on your wall in a couple of weeks if you haven't bought a bicycling calendar to replace that 2007 model.

There are lots of bicycle calendars to choose from online. Some feature scenic road and mountain biking locales, while others feature professional and recreational women cyclists from around the world and across the Northwest.

As usual, the Cyclepassion 2008 wall calendar is undoubtedly the hottest one out there this year. Instead of relying on professional models, it features pro women cyclists. That's Norwegian mountain biker Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesja on the cover ....]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/plenty-of-cool-bicycle-wall-calendars-for-2008/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/zero-bids-for-used-discovery-channel-racing-bikes/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/zero-bids-for-used-discovery-channel-racing-bikes/#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:56:00 +0000 admin Uncategorized Bicycle Touring http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/20/3422170.html What seemed like a brilliant idea last week landed with a resounding thud at eBay on Thursday when the 17 bicycles being auctioned off by Tailwind Sports received nary a bid.

The bicycles, mostly Madone 6.9 road bikes or Equinox TTX time trial machines, carried Discovery Channel colors, the sponsor that ended its association with Tailwind this year. Tailwind gave up on finding a new sponsor and put these bikes out to bid.

Even though the individual Treks had pedigree papers identifying their authenticity and pro riders who used them, apparently no one thought that cache was worth plunking down up to the $12,200 starting bid -- not even for George Hincapie's time trial bike (above). ...]]> What seemed like a brilliant idea last week landed with a resounding thud at eBay on Thursday when the 17 bicycles being auctioned off by Tailwind Sports received nary a bid.

The bicycles, mostly Madone 6.9 road bikes or Equinox TTX time trial machines, carried Discovery Channel colors, the sponsor that ended its association with Tailwind this year. Tailwind gave up on finding a new sponsor and put these bikes out to bid.

Even though the individual Treks had pedigree papers identifying their authenticity and pro riders who used them, apparently no one thought that cache was worth plunking down up to the $12,200 starting bid -- not even for George Hincapie's time trial bike (above). ...]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/zero-bids-for-used-discovery-channel-racing-bikes/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/triathlon/carbohydrate-snacks-for-endurance/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/triathlon/carbohydrate-snacks-for-endurance/#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:34:29 +0000 admin Triathlon http://www.triathlonweek.com/diet-nutrition-supplements/4322-carbohydrate-snacks-endurance.html If you have a physically demanding job that keeps you moving all day, you may have greater endurance if you eat small snacks throughout the day instead of having a single large meal at lunchtime. Researchers at the University of Montana in Missoula showed that snacking on carbohydrates may prolong your endurance during a long day of continuous movement (Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise, December 2007). They asked
men and women to exercise intermittently for ten hours. Each hour, they performed nine minutes of upper-body weight lifting, 19 minutes of cycling, and 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill, with a 1-minute rest between each exercise. This was followed by a 10-minute rest and feeding period. Those who took carbohydrates every hour were able to keep more sugar
(glycogen) in their muscles, and were able to exercise longer without feeling tired.
When you exercise, your muscles get their energy from muscle sugar and fat stored in muscles, sugar and fat from the bloodstream, and to a lesser degree from protein. When your muscles run out of their stored sugar, they require more oxygen to burn food for energy. This can make your muscles feel tired and be more difficult to coordinate. Eating any source of sugar or carbohydrates during exercise preserves muscle sugar and increases endurance. ]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/triathlon/carbohydrate-snacks-for-endurance/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/work-continues-on-olympic-discovery-trail/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/work-continues-on-olympic-discovery-trail/#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:00:00 +0000 admin Uncategorized Bicycle Touring http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2007/12/20/3420618.html There's a more than 100-mile-long abandoned railway corridor on Washington's Olympic Peninsula that is being transformed into a first-rate bicycling trail named the Olympic Discovery Trail.

When completed it will stretch all the way from La Push on the Pacific Ocean, across the base of  the northern slope of the Olympic Mountains, to bustling Port Townsend on Puget Sound.

More than a third of the trail is routed and paved (primarily the central portion connecting Port Angeles and Sequim on the Strait of Juan del Fuca), and volunteers are beginning work on another section east of Sequim that brings the trail closer to Port Townsend ......]]> There's a more than 100-mile-long abandoned railway corridor on Washington's Olympic Peninsula that is being transformed into a first-rate bicycling trail named the Olympic Discovery Trail.

When completed it will stretch all the way from La Push on the Pacific Ocean, across the base of  the northern slope of the Olympic Mountains, to bustling Port Townsend on Puget Sound.

More than a third of the trail is routed and paved (primarily the central portion connecting Port Angeles and Sequim on the Strait of Juan del Fuca), and volunteers are beginning work on another section east of Sequim that brings the trail closer to Port Townsend ......]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/uncategorized/work-continues-on-olympic-discovery-trail/feed/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/triathlon/xmas-music-from-specialized/ http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/triathlon/xmas-music-from-specialized/#comments Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:53:49 +0000 admin Triathlon http://www.triathlonweek.com/transition-zone/4318-xmas-music-specialized.html This really gets me into the festive spirit!

Specialized Holiday Greetings ]]> http://www.binationaltrailsday.com/triathlon/xmas-music-from-specialized/feed/